Pacers-Hawks Preview

By ELI KABERONPosted Feb 04 2014 12:54AM

Not only do the Indiana Pacers have the best record in the NBA, but they also have the best road winning percentage in the Eastern Conference.

That strength away from home will be needed Tuesday night if the Pacers are going to record their first regular-season road victory against the Atlanta Hawks in over seven years.

Indiana (37-10) has dropped 12 consecutive regular-season games in Atlanta since a win on Dec. 22, 2006, the team's longest active road losing streak against any opponent. Most of the matchups haven't been close, with the Pacers losing by an average of 10.6 points per contest.

The Pacers did, however, win in Philips Arena 81-73 on May 3, 2013, in the series-clinching Game 6 of last season's first-round playoff series.

"I'm very proud of our guys to come in here, a tough place to win," coach Frank Vogel said following that victory. "(Atlanta) is a particularly tough place for us to win."

Indiana lost its first visit to Atlanta this season, 97-87 on Jan. 8 despite 28 points from Paul George.

The NBA leaders are 9-3 since that game, including a 98-79 victory over visiting Orlando on Monday. Danny Granger had a season-high 16 points off the bench, while George and Lance Stephenson each scored 15 in the wire-to-wire win.

Granger's performance was particularly encouraging after he missed the first 25 games of the season because of a strained calf. In seven games prior to Monday's win, the former All-Star had scored just 5.9 points per contest on 13 of 43 (30.2 percent) from the field.

Indiana has one of the lowest-scoring reserve units in the league, with its bench players averaging 25.3 points per game.

"We made a point of trying to get Danny going (versus Orlando)," Pacers forward David West said. "I thought he did a good job of coming out getting shots, getting his looks. He's getting his legs back under him, his timing's coming, and we know that our bench is dangerous."

West and fellow big man Ian Mahinmi each sustained injuries Monday, but both said they should be ready to play Tuesday.

The Hawks (25-21) seek their sixth win in eight games after overcoming Kevin Love's 43 points for a 120-113 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. Four players scored at least 19 points, led by Kyle Korver's 24 on 7-of-9 shooting.

Coach Mike Budenholzer said defense sparked Atlanta's comeback from an 11-point deficit in the second quarter.

"I think the third quarter tonight was something we can reference going forward on how we want to play, particularly defensively, to hold them to 21 points in a quarter with the way they can score," he said.

While Budenholzer credited his team's defense for Saturday's win, his offense has been much improved lately also.

Atlanta is averaging 111.0 points in its last eight contests, nearly 10 points more than it scored per game in its first 38.

Also critical recently for the Hawks has been their depth, evidenced by having five double-digit scorers in each of the past four games.

Korver led five players in double figures with 17 points in the Hawks' win over Indiana in January.

Copyright 2014 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

West, George helps Pacers end Atlanta skid

By GEORGE HENRYPosted Feb 04 2014 11:22PM

ATLANTA (AP) It's over. This time, the Indiana Pacers had a successful regular-season trip to Atlanta.

David West scored 22 points, Paul George added 18 and the NBA-leading Pacers beat the Hawks 89-85 on Tuesday night.

"This has been a tough place for us, but I thought we came in with the right motivation tonight," West said. "They blitzed us the last time we were down here."

The Pacers' most recent win in Atlanta came last May in the clinching Game 6 of their first-round playoff series. But Indiana (38-10) had dropped its last 12 regular-season games at the Hawks, including a 97-87 decision on Jan. 8.

"I don't have to answer questions about it anymore, so that's good," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. "We've had some struggles here, but it's not anything we were losing sleep over."

Atlanta (25-22) failed to place a starter in double figures. It had won two straight and five of seven.

Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver had nine points apiece for the Hawks. All-Star forward Paul Millsap went 2 for 11 from the field and finished with seven points.

Teague made a 3-pointer to give Atlanta a 41-35 lead with 1:06 left in the second quarter, but the Hawks were outscored 38-16 over the next 17 minutes.

Cartier Martin's 3 cut Indiana's lead to 86-84 with 14.9 seconds left. C.J. Watson and Danny Granger then combined for three free throws to help the Pacers hold on for the win.

"Offensively, it just wasn't one of our better nights," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "I think you have to give Indiana and their defense credit for that."

Elton Brand, a 14-year veteran, had 12 points and was the only Hawk to score in double figures before Mike Scott scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Scott said it's no surprise that Atlanta's offense couldn't get much going against a defense that holds opponents to just 90.2 points a game, lowest in the NBA.

"They're very good," Scott said. "That's why they're the best team in the league defensively. We just missed open shots and couldn't get it in."

The Pacers had not won in the regular season at Philips Arena since Dec. 22, 2006.

"I thought our resolve took over," West said. "We were really precise with our movement and what we wanted to do. And we made plays when we needed to make plays."

Ian Mahinmi gave Indiana its biggest lead of the game with a tip-in that made it 73-57 with 8:10 left.

Pacers guard Lance Stephenson hit the floor hard on a layup at the 7:56 mark of the third, falling over Millsap in the lane and landing on his left shoulder and hip.

Stephenson then converted the three-point play to make it 55-47, but he sat out the last 16 minutes.

George stole the ball from rookie point guard Dennis Schroder late in the fourth and scored a fast-break layup to make it 82-74.

"Our guys buckled down on the defensive end," Vogel said. "(Atlanta) made a few shots in the last minute or two, but for the most part we held a pretty explosive team down to 85 points. That's a pretty good effort."

NOTES: Indiana improved to 23-0 when holding opponents under 90 points. ... The Pacers are 10-3 since the loss in Atlanta on Jan. 8. ... Korver extended his NBA record to 116 consecutive games with a 3-pointer. Korver began his streak last season in Atlanta's second game - a win at Oklahoma City. ... The Pacers are 15-8 on the road, best in the Eastern Conference.

Copyright 2014 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Notebook: Pacers 89, Hawks 85

THE FACT: Tuesday night's win gave Indiana its first back-to-back road wins since Dec. 4 and 7 (at Utah and San Antonio).

THE LEAD: David West matched his season-high with 22 points and the Indiana Pacers withstood a late rally, to beat the Atlanta Hawks, 89-85, Tuesday night at Philips Arena. The win ended a 12-game regular-season losing streak at Philips and gave the Pacers a sweep of their Southeast Division back-to-back. West, the only Pacer starter even in the league the last time Indiana won in Atlanta (Dec. 22, 2006), hit 10-for-19 shots and led the Pacers (38-10) with 10 rebounds in recording his fifth double-double of the season and first since Dec. 1.

Paul George added 18 points and seven rebounds for the victors and Lance Stephenson had 10 but left the game late in the third quarter with lower back pain. Mike Scott led Atlanta (25-22) with 15 points, 11 of them in the fourth quarter, to spark Atlanta, which cut a 16-point deficit with eight-plus minutes to play to two. Elton Brand chipped in 12 off the bench for Atlanta, which was held under 100 points for only the second time in its last 10 games. The Pacers trailed 43-42 at the break but pulled out to an 11-point lead in the third quarter. They led 73-57 in the fourth, before the Hawks pulled to within two on a Cartier Martin 3-pointer with 14.9 seconds remaining. Indy hit three of four free throws to seal the game.

THE STAT: 5 -- The number of turnovers committed by Indiana in the second half. That was half as many as Atlanta in the final 24 minutes and nearly a third of the number they committed in the first half, when they had 14, seven in each quarter. The Pacers turned the ball over one time in the final 12 minutes.

TURNING POINT: The game was tied at 47, just 2:07 into the second half when the Pacers went on a decisive 8-0 run over the next 1:57. West scored five points, with a pair of jumpers, plus a free throw on the latter J. Stephenson also added a three-point play. Indiana's defense was stellar, holding Atlanta scoreless ? the Hawks were 0-for-5 in the run and even missed both free throw attempts.

QUOTABLE: "If we just get the turnovers under control, we'd have a double-digit road win, so we know what we have to work on." -- Indiana coach Frank Vogel on his team's turnover issues

HOT: West was too much for the Hawks all night and whenever the Pacers needed a big hoop. He was 4-for-5 in the third quarter, as Indy broke the game open, then, late in the fourth, he hit a turnaround hook to push the lead to six with 2:05 left, and another short jumper with 49.5 left to increase the lead to eight...The Hawks shot a blistering 73.3 percent (11-for-15) in the second quarter. It was the highest percentage Indiana has allowed an opponent in a quarter all season.

NOT: Paul Millsap had a very rare off-night, scoring seven points on 2-for-11 shooting, 0-for-6 in the first quarter, when he was the only Atlanta starter without a field goal. It was only the Atlanta's All-Star fourth single-digit-scoring game and only his second time in the last 36...The Hawks were as cold in the third quarter as they were hot in the second. They went 6-for-20 (30.0 percent) and 0-for-5 from behind the arc as Indiana took control.

ROOKIE WATCH: Dennis Schroeder sparked Atlanta's fourth-quarter comeback. He came in with 9:43 remaining and Atlanta down 12. He scored four points with a rebound and two assists (he did have two turnovers). Schroder made two of his three field goal attempts, with his prettiest bucket coming with 4:14 remaining, when he blew by Pacers' point George Hill and put up a pretty floater from the baseline.

QUOTABLE II: "Tonight was on our offense. We just missed open shots and couldn't get it in." -- Atlanta forward Scott on the Hawks, who shot 44.7 percent (39.7 through three) and 27.3 from down town (18.8 through three)

NOTABLE: Indiana guard Stephenson sat out the final 3:56 of the third quarter and the entire fourth with a sore lower back...The Pacers are 5-0 when West records a double-double...West's 3-point field goal just before the half, was only his third of the season in 11 tries (27.3 percent)...Atlanta had 26 assists on 33 baskets. It was their 27th game with at least 25 assists. They are 19-8 in those games...The Hawks did not commit a personal foul in the first quarter...George continued to shine against Atlanta. He's averaging 23.0 points, 9.5 rebounds in two games against the Hawks...Kyle Korver extended his streak of one three-point basket to 116 straight games, drilling a three 2:49 into the game, on his first field goal attempt. It was Atlanta's only 3, as they shot 1-for-7 in the period...Hawks forward Brand had three of Atlanta's four blocks. It was his 11th multi-block game this season...Atlanta Braves pitcher and Kokomo, Ind., native Brandon Beachy was in attendance.